Skiers stuck in long lines before hitting the slopes
Nov 12, 2022, 10:39 PM | Updated: Nov 14, 2022, 10:43 am
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — Drivers in Big Cottonwood Canyon reported traffic delays and limited parking in the first few days of the 2022 ski season.
Solitude and Brighton ski resorts opened early after recent storms brought heavy snowfall to the mountains.
Skiers said a steady line of cars led to long lines of people at the two resorts.
“Everyone’s psyched to see the new snow, everyone’s stoked,” skier Quin Taylor said.
Snowboarder Aiden Hascall said people were anxious to go up the lifts.
“The lines were just crazy,” he said.
At times, the wait started closer to the base of the canyon.
The Utah Department of Transportation tweeted pictures of near-capacity roadside parking. The post warned drivers not to park downhill, or in ‘No Parking Zones.’
#RoadUpdate 👋 #SR190 travelers! Roadside parking near the resorts is near capacity. Please do not park in “No Parking” zones or on the downhill/north side of the road. If you do park roadside (uphill/south side), please find the white line and park behind it! pic.twitter.com/rdWeKOaU8q
— UDOT Cottonwood Canyons (@UDOTcottonwoods) November 11, 2022
“I know that down by Brighton, every once in a while, you get like 100 cars there and they’ll give everyone a ticket,” Hascall said.
UDOT also reminded early-season skiers to park behind the white line and prepared them for downhill delays.
The resorts posted their parking lots were full by mid-morning.
👋‼️ #SR190 travelers, @BrightonResort parking is FULL, adjust your travel plans accordingly and come up this afternoon. Check their sign at the mouth for status before continuing up. ⏰‼️⬇️ https://t.co/fkp35mNrkI
— UDOT Cottonwood Canyons (@UDOTcottonwoods) November 11, 2022
Hascall said more people should carpool. He said he lives near the University of Utah, and would like more public transportation options to get to the resorts.
“I think our first effort should be to improve our busing system,” he said. “I think we should have more bus stops and more direct routes up the mountains.”
Hascall said the higher he climbed up the road, the more crowded it got.
“Once we got down to Donut Falls, it got pretty congested,” he said.
Taylor said he avoided the bad delays by using strategy on the slopes and on the roads.
“Just get up early, get after it, don’t be slacking,” he said.
